Portable ironing machine



Nov. 5, 1929. M. HEDGLON PORTABLE IRONING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov 17, 1927 \HA W Nov. 5, 1929.

awuem to; WM%@AM Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES MEAD HEDGLON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK PORTABLE momma MACHINE Application filed November 17, 1927. Serial No. 233,906.

This invention relates to portable ironing machines, such as are commonly used in homes and various institutions, and the invention has especial reference to the improvement of the devices shown and described in my United States Patents No. 1,560,990, November 10, 1925, and No. 1,636,472, July 19, 1927.

Briefly, the ironing machine comprises a motor driven padded ironing roll, which rotates in a fixed horizontal plane, and a heated upwardly facing trough-like shoe, in which the roll rotates, and moves the articles frictionally over the surface of the trough. The rear side of the shoe is supported preferably by links, and the forward side is resiliently and adjustably sup-, ported for movement towards and away from the roll, the said movements heretofore being usually controlled by a hand-lever. In my former patents these resilient supports for the shoe normally rest upon the platform or base, that supports the whole of the ironing mechanism, and any vertical movements of the shoe are necessarily limited, and can only be effected by the manipulation ofthe handlever. It has been found that, in order to separate the roll and shoe, for the purpose of recovering or adjusting partially ironedarticles, that are liable to become distorted or imperfectly ironed if allowed to continue through the machine, the operator must either shut off the power, and manually lower the shoe, or else simply throw the hand-lever in the direction for separating the shoe from the roll, readjusting the articles, and then operating the hand-lever again to restore the shoe to the ironing position. This leaves but one hand free to.adjust and guide the articles, and necessarily causes .more or less waste of time and tends to wear out vital parts of the machine.

In the present case, the resilient supporting means may be suitably adjustedv in advance of an ironing operation, for yielding the desired ironing pressure, and this adjustment need not be disturbed during the ironing period, unless the work calls for variations of the ironing pressure.

, plish this result, and at the same time enable 50 the operator to readily and quickly recover To accomis supported at its four'cornersbylegs-2 the latter preferably being equipped with castors enabling operator to employ both hands for adjusting the articles, the said pedal and related parts being arranged to effect theraising of the shoe again to the ironing position without disturbing the adjustment of the parts that control the pressure, and without necessitating the stoppage of the ironing roll, or requiring the power to be either turned on or off. To this end, I provide a rocking shaft that is equipped with levers upon which the resilient supports for the forward side of the shoe are mounted. This shaft is arranged to be rocked for lowering and raising the shoe, by an eccentric mechanlsm, which may be set in motion instantly by a clutch that is controlled solely by the pedal. The clutch is released automatically when the foot pressure is relaxed, by tension means which eifects the stoppage of the eccentric mechanism.

The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a broken front side elevation I of the ironing machine, showing the pedalcontrolled eccentric machanism in relation to the other parts when they are in the ironing position. Fig. 2 is a front end-elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged end View of the gear-box, with the cover removed, showing the motor-driven gear-train that operates the press-roll. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section, taken on line 44 of Fig. 5, showing the shoe lowered from the roll by the action of the eccentric. Fig. 5 is a broken vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, showing the eccentric and related parts in the operative positions, shown in Fig. 4. And Fig. 6 is a topplan View of the table, with some parts omitted, showing the oblong open frame, the brace that supports the pedal, I

and the ironing parts. 7 j 4.

In the drawings, 2 represents a table whose top comprises a normally open frame 2" that 2". The top portion of the table andthe corres ondin portions of the le s are enclosed an brace by sheet metal or ot er skirtin 2, and the lower ends of the legs are stiifene by an X-shaped brace 2, ,which parallels the frame. (See Figs. 1, 2 and 6.) The opposite lon sides of the frame are usually fitted with fol able leaves 2', which are hinged to the frame at 2. 3 represents an oblong wooden or other base, which supports the whole of the ironing mechanism. The base 3 is preferably loosely disposed in the opening of the frame 2' and may be held therein by hinges or by any suitable means (not shown). The base 3 1s preferably removable for facilitating ap lying and adjusting the various mechanioa parts.

The ironing machine comprises a padded press roll 4, which is mounted on a shaft 4', one end of the latter being journaled in a goose-neck bracket 5, which is rigid to the ase 3, the opposite end of said shaft being supported by an upright gear-box 6, having an open side 6', which is closed by a cap or cover 6". The roll 4 is preferably driven by an electric motor 7, whose armature shaft 7' extends into the gear-box and supports and drives a worm 7", that meshes and drives a worm-gear 7", which is mounted loosely on a normally idle shaft 8. One side .of the wormgear supports and drives a pinion 8' that meshes and operates a spur-gear 9, which is I of the clutch 9-9 by a liandle 9.

loose on the shaft 4. The opposite side of gear 8 is formed with a hub 8, which comprises one member of a clutch. The gear 9 is formed with a similar hub comprising a clutch member 9', which is arranged to be interlocked with a clutch-sleeve 9', the latter being keyed to shaft 4', as at 9", and drives the roll 4 when the clutch members 9-9 are enaged, as shown in Fi 5. The roll 4 may e stopped at any time the disen agement he ironing is effected by the roll 4, moving the articles frictionally over a heated surface of a shoe 10. The shoe comprises a hollow body formed with an upwardly facing trough-like surface, which is disposed concentrica lg beneath the roll, the rear side of the shoe eing supported swingably by a pair of links 12, which are pivoted respectively to the shoe and the base 3, as shown in Fig. 4. The forward side of the shoe 10 is resiliently sup orted at its opposite ends, by springs 13, an rods 13' that telesco e the springs, the said rods being threade and the tension being controlled bymeans of'nuts 13'. The upper ends of the rods 13 are fitted with eccentric device 13", which are pivoted to the, ends of the shoe, as

at 13, one of said devices supportin' a handlever 13, by which the shoe may e manually raised and lowered relatively to the roll 4. The shoe is usually heated electrically, in the well-known manner, but the means is not shown in the drawings. The articles are supported, while being fed between the roll and the shoe, by a table or shelf 14. The springs 13 and the lower ends of the rods 13 pass through openings in the base 3, and the rods are fitted with clevises or forks 13, which are pivoted to forwardly extending levers or arms 15 carried by a rock-shaft 15, the latter being journaled in bearing lugs 15 secured to the underside of the base 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The shaft 15 is also equipped with a rearwardly extending lever 15, to which is pivoted the lower end of a rod 16 that depends from a circular casing 16, in

17, the latter being rigid on a reduced end of which is rotatably disposed an eccentric disk the shaft 8, u on which the worm-gear 7 normall loose y rotates. The eccentric 17 is operate for lowering and raising the shoe, by the clutch member 8*, which is integral with the gear 7 and another member 18, the latter being spool-shaped and being keyed to the shaft 8, as at 18', by means of which said shaft is rotated when said members are engaged, as shown in Fig. 5. Between its flanges 18, the member 18 is formed with a tooth or cam 18, which is arranged to be engaged by the upper end of a bolt 19, which is reci rocatable in a housing 19 of the cap 6. T e lower end of thebolt 19'connects with a flexible pull-rod or chain 20, which extends downwardly through an opening in the base 3, and connects with an arm 21' of a pedal 21, The depressing of the pedal correspondingly moves the bolt 19 clear of the path of the cam 18, and enables a spring 18 to throw the member 18 into en agement with the motor-driven gear 7". T e bolt 19, as well as the pedal 21, are moved upwardly, for causing the bolt to release the clutch member 18, by aspring 19*, which is disposed in the housing 19'. The pedal 21 is pivotally mounted between depending lugs 21, which are supported by the brace X, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the full lines show the pedal and related parts released, for enabling the shoe 10 to resume the ironing position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The dotted po- 7 parts, the free ends of levers 15' are prefer-.

ably slotted, as at 15 (see Fig. 4). By this arrangement clevis pins l3are enabled to slide sufiiciently to overcome the resistance of the said parts. The edal 21. is preferably of such length as to ena Ie the operator to readwith either quiring any shiftmg. of his body.

'ily and convenientlyuoperate the eccentricj17 the right or left foot, without rev 1 means to pending from Having thus described my invention, what I claim is V I v 1. In'combinatio'n with an ironing roll, a shoe cooperating with said roll, means. depending from the rear of the shoe to pivotally mount same, a rock shaft underlying the shoe, a resilient device pivoted to and depending from the front of the shoe, means to connect said device to the rock shaft, an eccentric device connected to the rock shaft, power means to drive the roll,'means to operate the eccen tric device from the power means thereby to move the shoe away from the roll, and foot actuated means to operate the means for operating the eccentric device.

2. In combination with an ironing roll, a

shoe cooperating with said roll, means dethe rear of the shoe to pivotally mount same, a rock shaft underlying the shoe, a resilient'device pivoted to and depending from the front of the shoe, means to coning roll, a shoe cooperating withsaidroll,

means depending from the rear of the shoe and'pivoted thereto and to the base to mount the rear of the shoe, a rock shaft underltying the shoe, a resilient device depending rom the front of the shoe, an arm fast on the rock shaft, means to pivotally connect the resilient device to said arm, manually controlled means-pivoted to said device and to the shoe for operating the latter,.a second arm on the L 4 rock shaft, means actuated by the second arm for operating the shoe, and foot controlled means for actuating the rock shaft.

.In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

I I MEAD HEDGLON.

nect said device to the rock shaft, power drive the, roll, and foot controlled means. to actuate the rock shaft from the power device.

' 3. 'In combination with an ironing roll, a shoe cooperating with the 'roll, means to mount the shoe for'movement toward and away from the roll, a shaft, an eccentric on the shaft, means to operate the shoe by the eccentric, power means for operatingthe roll and the shaft, a clutch on the-shaft, a spring e the held depressible bolt to normally enga clutchand hold same inoperative, an foot actuated means connected to the'bolt to depress same and render theclutch operative.

horizontal shaft adjacent an end of the roll,

' 4. In combination wlth an ironing roll, a

a clutch on the shaft, powermeans to operate the, shaft, means to operate the roll from the shaft, a shoe, means to mount one side of the shoe for movement toward and away from the roll, a horizontal rock shaft, radial arms on the shaft, a connection depending from'the opposite side of the shoe and connected to one of said arms, means connected to the first named shaft and to the other armfor operating the. shoe, and foot operated means for actuating the clutch.

5. In combination with a base and an iron-.

ing roll, a shoe cooperating with said roll, means depen ing from the rear of the shoe and pivoted thereto and,to the base to mount the rear of the shoe, a rock shaft underl g the shoe, a resilient device depending rom the front of the shoe, an arm fast onthe rock shaft, means to pivotally connect the resilient device to said arm, means pivoted to said device and to the shoe for operating the latter, means for adjusting manually controlled the tension ofthe resilient device thereby a to vary the ironing pressure and means to operate the rock shaft.-

I 6. 'In combination with a base'and iron- 

